GOVERNMENT Planning Minister Keith Hill hopes to pick up some tips from North Wiltshire District Council planners.

Mr Hill has invited representatives from the district council to a meeting to find out how the local authority boosted its planning service, which was ranked as eighth slowest in the country less than two years ago.

Now it has been rated the most improved planning authority in the South West receiving a reward of £124,000 through the Government's planning delivery grant.

Mr Hill said: "Authorities like North Wiltshire, Wychavon and Middlesborough have turned around their performance and improved both speed and quality by rethinking their processes.

"I have invited these three authorities to meet me so I can learn more about how it can be done."

A recent report by the Office for the Deputy Prime Minister announced the improvements made by local planning authorities in the delivery of their planning service. It said more planning applications are now being dealt with at greater speeds.

New targets for eight and 13 weeks were introduced in April 2002 with authorities expected to achieve 60 per cent of major applications in 13 weeks, 65 per cent of minor applications in eight weeks and 80 per cent of all other applications in eight weeks.

North Wiltshire District Council received the highest planning delivery grant in Wiltshire, in the first year of the three-year delivery grant.

Next year's grant of £130 million will be distributed on the basis of improvement and achievement of the Government targets. The district council has agreed to allocate this year's grant to improve the enforcement service and ensure the Government's figures continue to be achieved.